Roots and Shadows

Roots and Shadows is an English-language Indian novel, written by Shashi Deshpande in 1983.^[1]

The novel focuses on Indu's interactions with others in her large family and the manner in which this helps to resolve their future and her own personal crisis.^[2]

Characters

First generation

Akka – The female matriarch of the family
Indu's grandfather
Old Uncle - Indu's grandfather's cousin

Second generation

Narmada Atya - Indu's aunt
Anant Kaka - Indu's uncle
Govind - Indu's father
Madhav Kaka and Sumitra Kaki - Indu's aunt and uncle
Vinay Kaka and Kamala Kaki - Indu's aunt and uncle
Sunanda Atya and Vasant Kaka - Indu's aunt and uncle
Saroja - Naren's mother

Third generation

Indu - Govind's daughter and the main protagonist
Naren - Saroja's son and Indu's illicit partner
Jayant - Indu's husband
Hemant - Anant kaka and kaki's children
Sumant - Anant kaka and kaki's children
Padmini - Anant kaka and kaki's children
Sharad -Anant kaka and kaki's children
Sunil - Madhav kaka and Sumitra kaki's children
Lata - Madhav kaka and Sumitra kaki's children
Geeta -Madhav kaka and Sumitra kaki's children
Vithal - the adopted Brahmin boy

Fourth generation

Vishwas - Hemant's children
Sanju - Hemant's children

Themes

Marriage
Joint-family system
Infidelity
Class and caste relations
Feminism
Modernism

Analysis and criticism

The work has been widely analysed and criticized for its feminist^[3] orientation. It has been a source for many thesis and papers on the role of women in society of today.^[4] The work is widely appreciated for bringing out the joint family system in Indian society.

References

^ Mishro, Krushna Chandra. "Roots and Shadows: Shashi Deshpande's Moral Prescription for a Reformed World of Relationships as the Basis of the Indian TraditionaI Dream of Vasudpiva Kutumbakam".
^ Fernandes, Joeanna Rebello (9 October 2015). "Deshpande's Rebellion". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
^ Prasad, N K (2010). "Feminism in Shashi Deshpande's Roots and Shadows". INFLIBNET.
^ Ashok, K. Kumar (2014). "Identity motif's in Shashi Deshpande's Roots and Shadows" (PDF).

[1] Mishro, Krushna Chandra. "Roots and Shadows: Shashi Deshpande's Moral Prescription for a Reformed World of Relationships as the Basis of the Indian TraditionaI Dream of Vasudpiva Kutumbakam".

[2] Fernandes, Joeanna Rebello (9 October 2015). "Deshpande's Rebellion". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 April 2018.

[3] Prasad, N K (2010). "Feminism in Shashi Deshpande's Roots and Shadows". INFLIBNET.

[4] Ashok, K. Kumar (2014). "Identity motif's in Shashi Deshpande's Roots and Shadows" (PDF).

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